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On The Fold Site
Outside the front ecoCafe doors a new sculpture in leylandi by Duncan White of White Wood who is a sculptor and creator of carved furniture. To contact Duncan please call 01684 541793 or 0790 2327769
Click on images below for larger image
In the EcoCafe
Joint Exhibtion - Harry & Kate Scriven
HARRY SCRIVEN
I have enjoyed painting since my youth, originally in oils and mainly in abstract. Over the years I have travelled through several phases, for a long time my paintings became more figurative and inspired from a more spiritual, religious impulse.
In recent years I have returned to abstract work using acrylics and sometimes other media. I have been inspired all my adult life by the philosopher, Rudolf Steiner. I feel that although this philosophy has always influenced my approach, it is only now that I have been able to take my work to another place entirely; thoughts and ideas well up from within as I attempt to indicate the unseen. Recently I have returned to some figurative elements and I have also incorporated symbols to indicate the spirit nature of the world both past and present. I try to encapsulate the spiritual nature of the world, not the world we normally perceive through our senses.
I hope you enjoy the paintings!
Kate Scriven
I have always been “creative” but in many guises – pastels, fabric boxes, landscaping, interior design etc. I have not had any formal training except the experience I learned at my College of Further Education and from my early education at a Rudolf Steiner School in Stourbridge. This early education was very much built on a combined approach to all the sciences, humanities and arts subjects and I feel this has been a strong influence in my current work.
I took up my paint brush about five years ago and immediately enjoyed it so much I wondered why it had taken me so long to come to this point! I find my inspiration from the elements and life forces which I try to interpret imaginatively with sometimes a hint of realism. I feel my work comes from a deep place within possibly, influenced by my view of the world and philosophy of life in general.
I hope you enjoy my work. Thank you for taking the time to read this!
Past Exhibitions
Welcome to this posthumous exhibition of watercolours by local amateur artist Ken Peck
Ken was born in Northfield, Birmingham to Dorothy and Frederick Peck. Notes made by Ken tell us that from childhood he wanted to be an artist and poet.
From 1936 – 1939 he attended Bournville School of Arts and Crafts.<.p>
In May 1942 he ‘graduated’ from the Ministry of Labour School of Cookery in Lowestoft and joined the Royal Navy as a cook on the minesweepers during the war. From Navy records we know he had shore leave in Sydney Australia in November 1945 and again in June 1946. It was then he chose to be ‘demobbed’ in Australia and was resettled in September 1946 in Sydney.
Ken (Paul) returned to England in 1948 and was accepted onto the National Diploma of Design at Birmingham College of Arts and Crafts. Unfortunately the Ministry of Labour and National Service refused to support him financially. This then underpinned the rest of his life – he reluctantly became an amateur artist.
Ken married Beryl Dowdle (Beb) in July 1949 and they went on to have five daughters. Ken had many jobs during the next part of his life and he and Beb moved where there was work – Ludlow, Newquay Cornwall, back to Birmingham and finally in 1968 to St John’s, Worcester.
Ken continued to paint when he could afford to – often spending money ‘he did not have’ to buy art materials. He had paintings exhibited in Worcester Library and in the Malvern Winter Gardens, but his main friend and supporter was Paul Colbourne of The Raven Gallery in Stourport on Severn.
Ken loved Worcestershire, especially the Malvern Hills and the countryside of neighbouring counties and Wales. In 1977 I was living in Shropshire and arranged an exhibition at The Bear Steps in Shrewsbury. Ken died suddenly on November 6 1977 and although the exhibition took place, we his family felt unable to part with anything.
Ken’s work remained among family and friends. When Beb developed Alzheimers and had to leave her home of forty two years in St John’s in November 2009, their house was sold to pay for Beb’s residential care. The legacy of Ken’s artistry was resurrected. We know Ken would have loved The Fold and its values and been so proud that his work was being shown again 34 years later.
Please enjoy. Thank you.
Lynn Peck on behalf of Beryl Peck, Judith, Jayne and Sue October 2011
Contact Lynn Peck at lynncpeck@yahoo.co.uk Or telephone 07913388722 - or see the website kenpeckwatercolours@yahoo.co.uk
Julia Harris
I am a welsh artist originally from Pontardawe, my family had a farm called Cwm Nant Lleici, in Ynysmeudwy, my Father was a coal miner working in my Uncles drift mine on the farm land which is now a large quarry. (We will say no more!)
I now live in the heart of mid-Wales. Where I live is a gift to any artist as I have magnificent views overlooking the foothills of Mynydd Epynt (in English means 'Haunt of Ponies') with its stunning beauty and changing light from deep grey rain to golden shafts of sunlight. My choice of home is no accident. My inspiration and vision comes from all that is around me; the mountains, the fields, the trees, the skies and of course cows and sheep.
My style of art and subject matter is very varied. I love the human form and enjoy exploring different media to portray it and I also love colour and am not afraid to show the passion I feel inside me by expressing myself in paint. My favourite medium is watercolour which I feel is under-rated; whilst renowned for being one of the most difficult mediums to master I use it's unpredictability to my advantage in creating exciting effects in my landscapes by allowing one pigment to merge into another.
Painting is my life, it excites me. If I don't paint every day I have a physical ache inside me. Writers express themselves in words; I express myself in pictures, as you will appreciate after reading this statement.... They do say a picture paints a thousand words I hope you agree.
www.juliaharris.info - Tel: 07973 717297
Kamala Todd
Art From The Heart
Art Commissions, Portraits, Cards, Prints
Tel:01684 566462 Mobile: 07896310779 email: kamaladuk@btinternet.com website: OM TAT SAT
JUDY FOULSHAM
Internationally known Artist, Judy Foulsham has lived, studied and worked in London, New York and Perth, Australia. Judy has appeared on Channel 4 TV programme - Watercolour Challenge.
Judy has an M.A from Coventry University and studied at Winchester School of Art, Chelsea School of Art, & The Royal College of Art.
Her paintings vary from small Acrylics or Watercolours for £500 to large Acrylic Box Canvases for just under £5000 Judy will be at The Fold Cafe/Gallery next Bank Holiday Weekend 27th - 30th May 2011 with 20 of her paintings exhibited for sale and you will be able to meet The Artist in person from 10am - 2pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday as part of Worcestershire Arts Trail.
Judy's favourite subjects are the Malvern Hills, Australia, Pembrokeshire Coast, Fruit & Veg, Cockerals and Sunflower and Poppy fields. Her styled can be described as Colourful and Impressionistic with a fresh vibrant painterly effect to brighten up any wall.
Her website is judyfoulsham.artweb.com
Sally Young - Exhibition
Sally Young is a Worcestershire based designer and embroiderer. She has loved to sew and make things since she was a little girl, which led her to go on to study History of Art at Bristol University. This taught her a lot about the use of colour and the influence of art but after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2006 she decided to go back to her passion of creating art rather than studying it.
Her work is all free motion embroidery as she loves the way that the stitching creates the character of her pieces, while focusing on the colours used and their relationships with one another. Sally uses as many vintage and reused fabrics as possible, for example old curtains, dolls dress, maybe even an old prom dress, because these are fabrics that have stories and meaning and that is what Sally likes to bring into her work.
Sewing has been a passion of Sally's because of its timelessness. Sewing has been done by many people for decades and the technique still hasn’t changed, it's a classic form of art.
As her work is done using vintage and reused fabrics her work is limited in numbers and may even be one-off pieces but she is happy to take on commissions and personalise items.
Visit her website at www.sally-young.com or contact her mail@sally-young.com
A selection of art in various mediums produced by members of the Worcester Society of Artists
The Worcester Society of artists was formed to encourage the appreciation, understanding and practise of the visual arts and is open to everyone. The Society was founded in 1947 moving to the Swan Theatre in 1965 for regular meetings and exhibitions. Still going strong we hope to inspire other artists whatever their ability, with more experienced members willing to help beginners.
For further information and an application form to become a member please contact: The Membership Secretary, Mr.D.J.Davis, 68 Spetchley Road, Worcester, WR5 2NL. Tel: 01905 355038
A Photographic Exhibition by Beccy Mair
About Beccy: Travel, our natural environment, foreign languages, cultures and the invigorating unknown all inspire Beccy to reach for her camera.
Through photography, she hopes to introduce the wonders of our planet to your living room and to share a little of the freedom, serenity and global tranquillity that rouse and captivate her.
Beccy’s enthusiasm for travel has so far taken her to Australia, to New Zealand over the Millennium, touring Europe for a year in a home renovated VW campervan (now an irreplaceable member of the family) and cycle touring in Thailand and Cuba.
Her photographs continue on with travels of their own and have made it so far, to France, Spain, New Zealand and Singapore as well as dotting themselves around the UK.
What escapes film flows from pen to paper as Beccy collects and expresses her experiences, creating images with words. Every photograph is accompanied by a sentence or two to set the scene and offer a personal, insightful window into the taking of the shot.
Beccy creates art from travel and is constantly humbled by a world so diverse it conjures captivating images at every turn. With endless horizons to head for, mountains to gaze up at, seas to soothe and palettes of sunsets to massage away the strain of cycling, the pull is overpowering.
So, keep an eye out for the wayward cyclist who has made it her vocation to travel. Exerting creative energy, she balances precariously over the edge of cliffs, puts herself at risk when pulling over at short notice and challenges her fitness on expeditions to reach what is, after all, on all of our doorsteps.
10% OF BECCY’S PROFITS WILL BE DONATED TO - Wheels4Life -“Wheels4Life is a non-profit organisation that provides bikes for people in Third-World countries in need of transportation to get to work or to school; including health care workers. This charity was founded by extreme biking legend and former Mountain Bike World Champion Hans Rey.”
Through Wheels4Life, Hans Rey aims to give something back to the people he has met on his journeys, whilst cycling for sport. Beccy wants to do exactly the same.
Beccy cycle tours to discover and to meet these very same people. Travel by bicycle is gruelling at times but worth every turn of the pedal. Open to the elements as Beccy prefers to be, she meets the purest of hearts.
For us bicycles are recreational equipment so it is very easy to forget that to many…..a bicycle can mean survival.
Beccy's Website: www.beccymair.com
A sense of Time & Place
An exhibition by Christine Benson, Textile Artist-Maker-Tutor
"My work comes from within; I am influenced by my surroundings, which I integrate with my love of music and history to produce emotive abstract images. Music dictates the rhythm or harmony, whilst the area and history give a sense of place.
Some of Christine's beautiful pieces are now on the Fold ecoCafe walls and she has a series of workshops scheduled to be held here. For details contact Christine on 01905 749640 or email christine.e.benson@googlemail.com or pick up a booking form from the ecoCafe.
Shelly Perkins
Shelly Perkins, an incredibly talented young artist has a display of prints hanging on the cafe walls until 1st March 2010.
You can view Shelly's beautiful artworks on her website www.shellyperkins.co.uk If you are looking for an artist to design you an innovative invitation see samples of Shelly's work on her site under 'Graphics'. We hope to invite Shelly back and display more of her work later in the year.
Photographs by Rebecca Tibbutt
Contact: Email bextibbutt@hotmail.com Phone 01905 424294
My work focuses mainly on using the raw materials of photography to produce a variety of images often examining current issues or topics. I use this cameraless photography to give my work an unusual appearance and cause viewers to contemplate them in more detail and see beauty where it is often overlooked. I have had my work exhibited in cafes in my local area of Worcestershire and have several exhibitions lined up for this coming year.
